PHILADELPHIA, PA – NOVEMBER 28: Head coach Doc Rivers of the Philadelphia 76ers congratulates Joel Embiid #21 against the Atlanta Hawks at the Wells Fargo Center on November 28, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The NBA MVP race is one of the tightest in years but Doc Rivers is ready to call it after Joel Embiid dropped a 50-point double-double in a win over Boston.
The three-man race between 76ers big man Joel Embiid, Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic, and Bucks super-forward Giannis Antetokounmpo for NBA MVP this season is coming down to the wire. And with so few games remaining, it feels like any massive moment could be the deciding factor in who earns the hardware when the votes are tallied.
So after Joel Embiid’s performance against the Celtics on Tuesday night, 76ers head coach Doc Rivers is ready to call the race.
Leading the way to a tight 103-101 victory over the Boston Celtics, Embiid torched the Eastern Conference foes with a monstrous performance, putting up 52 points, 13 rebounds and six assists with two blocks while shooting 20-of-25 from the field.
After the game, Rivers admitted he was biased, but was ready to declare the MVP race over and name Embiid the clear winner.
Joel Embiid hits Celtics with 50-burger, Doc Rivers calls the NBA MVP race
Perhaps working in Embiid’s favor in this tightly contested MVP race — in which NBA.com most recently had Jokic in the lead over the Sixers star in their latest KIA NBA MVP Ladder — is that Jokic delivered a lackluster showing (by his standards) on the same night.
In a disheartening loss to the lowly Rockets, Jocic did have a double-double, but only posted 14 points and 10 rebounds with four assists in 25 minutes, which pales in comparison to Embiid unleashing hell singlehandedly on the Celtics.
For much of the season, it appeared like Jokic might run away with another NBA MVP trophy. But Embiid has come on extremely strong to spark this debate in a major way and, with the way he’s finishing the regular season with nights like Tuesday, you have to wonder if the recency bias will creep into the vote and had the 76ers big man the hardware.